German Study Finds 12.7% of Teens Show Problem Drinking

A new study in Germany found that more than 12% of adolescents show signs of problematic drinking, underscoring that prevention efforts remain necessary even as youth alcohol use has declined in recent years.

The study, published by the Stiftung Gesundheitswissen in the journal JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, surveyed 2,006 teenagers ages 12 to 17 across Germany. Researchers said about 20% of respondents reported drinking alcohol at least once a week, while 12.7% met the study’s criteria for problematic alcohol use.

The findings point to clear differences by age, sex and migration background. Boys were more likely than girls to report problematic drinking, at 15.9% compared with 9.1%. Among adolescents with a migration background, 16.9% showed signs of problematic use, compared with 12% among those without one.

Age was the strongest factor. The share of teenagers with problematic drinking rose sharply in older groups: 5% among 12- to 13-year-olds, 11.6% among 14- to 15-year-olds and 21.9% among 16- to 17-year-olds.

The researchers said they found no significant link between problematic drinking and the type of school attended or the teenagers’ health literacy.

Problematic drinking in the study was defined by a cluster of warning signs, including using alcohol to relax, getting into conflicts because of drinking, memory lapses and taking part in traffic while under the influence.

PD Dr. med. Ralf Suhr, the chief executive of Stiftung Gesundheitswissen, said the results show that alcohol prevention still needs to reach adolescents directly and should be tailored to groups at higher risk. He said the study highlights the need for clear information that young people can understand.

The study comes as German public health officials continue to monitor youth drinking patterns and the long-term effects of alcohol exposure during adolescence, a period when brain development is still ongoing and vulnerability to harm remains high.

The survey used the German version of the CRAFFT screening tool, a standard method for identifying risky alcohol use among young people. It also collected data on weekly drinking frequency and health literacy, and weighted responses to reflect key demographic characteristics such as age, sex and school type.